Northern Pulp Seeks Six-Month Extension
A preliminary site rendering for a transformed Northern Pullp.
On December 8th, Northern Pulp filed our CCAA materials with the Court before our December 12th and 13th hearing. We have requested a six-month extension until June 30, 2024, focusing on reaching a mediated resolution with the Province of Nova Scotia and submitting a detailed Environmental Assessment (EA) report.
We anticipate by early 2024, we will know if a mediated resolution can be reached with the Province or if we will need to seek an alternative approach. We continue to move forward, but since they are confidential discussions, we cannot provide details of the mediation.
Our team continues to advance the EA for a transformed mill. We have identified the relevant studies completed since 2018 that can meet the requirements of the current environmental assessment, saving both cost and time. We are working diligently to write the EA report in time for the March 2024 deadline.
During this stay, the Mill site will remain in cold shutdown to maintain the status quo at the least possible cost, and our woodland division will continue its operations. To support our employees and retirees, we have requested to continue providing retiree benefits and honour our employee and retiree obligations throughout this period.
Since October 2020, part of our community engagement has been through an independent, community-based Environmental Liaison Committee. The committee has done significant work to better understand stakeholder issues and concerns with mill operations and developed a vision for a reimagined mill. For the coming stay period, and in keeping with our decision to suspend external studies, the activities of the Environmental Liaison Committee will be suspended until we know if a mediated resolution can be reached with the Province.
We thank the Environmental Liaison Committee members for their time and work over the past three years. The information and insights provided by the committee informed the development of the Tomorrow’s Mill transformation plan. We will continue to move forward in a manner that aligns with the Environmental Liaison Committee’s desired path for Northern Pulp, which respects the environment, promotes economic and social well-being, and respects Indigenous communities' unique culture and traditions.
As the Lahey Report has indicated, Nova Scotia’s forestry sector needs a pulp market to make the transition to ecological forestry possible. A modern pulp mill in Nova Scotia, either a transformed Northern Pulp or an investment in developing a new mill elsewhere in the province, is the solution.
